Giveaway & Review: Evernight by Kristen Callihan

Reviewed by Jen

I have been a fan of the Darkest London series since day 1, but I honestly never thought I would love another installment the same way I loved Firelight. That was, of course, before I read this book. Evernight blew me away. It’s sexy; it’s emotional. The action is great. The pacing is great. The romance is… fan-freaking-tastic. Simply put, this is one of the best books I have read this year.

Kristen Callihan did an incredible job setting the stage for this story in Shadowdance. Inventor and elemental Holly Evernight was held captive and forced to experiment on sanguis demon William Thorne. He survived getting the clockwork heart she put inside of him, but just barely. His body and his sanity will never be the same. He blames Holly for what happened to him, never fully grasping the degree to which she was coerced. Now, in his crazed mind and deteriorating body, his only conceivable course of action is to kill her. But he is going to have to get in line.

Someone has made Holly a target for assassins, so she has turned her home into a fortress designed to keep her safe. Most of her assailants don’t survive their attempts, but William manages to breach her defenses. The only reason she survives is because of her ability to control metal. You see, William’s clockwork heart is steadily turning his flesh to platinum. And Holly’s touch stops him dead in his tracks. But the two quickly find out that her abilities can ease his suffering like nothing else has. His vendetta quickly turns into a need for her touch, and from there, a symbiotic relationship. He’ll serve as her protector, while she works to cure him.

I loved everything about this book, but perhaps the best thing it had going for it was Will. He oozes sexuality and swagger. He talks dirty. He is lethal. And inside is this vulnerable heart which has never been loved. Even his own mother rejected him. So watching this relationship develop between him and Holly is just lovely. The sexual tension is fantastic and the physical stuff is dead on, but it’s the emotional interplay that knocks it out of the park. Holly is the perfect counterpoint to the hero. She is analytical and focused. She is physically vulnerable and agoraphobic, but proves herself able to conquer her fears over and over again. There is nothing predictable or stale about the relationship building or the larger plot which surrounds it.

The story moves quickly and settles nicely into this dark and fascinating world that just keeps growing from book to book. We see familiar faces like Jack and Mary, while Callihan lays more ground work for future stories featuring characters like Adam and Sin. Every page I read made me hungry to read the next one –and now that it’s over, I am on the edge of my seat for the next book. The ending is totally satisfying and I am considering just starting it over, so I can enjoy the book all over again. I enjoyed it that much. If you aren’t reading this series, you are missing out.